According to the website Baseball America, Roc Nation Sports will represent free agent Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo. Roc Nation represents other MLB players including Seattle Mariners second basemen Robinson Cano and New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia.
If you look at the agency’s client list, which also includes Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant, New York Giants wideout Victor Cruz, and Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins, the signing is slightly questionable considering Castillo isn’t a top-tier prospect.
Furthermore, as Baseball America stated, scouts aren’t too convinced Castillo will become an everyday player, which makes the signing even more peculiar.
“Scouts don’t expect Castillo to be an immediate impact player along the lines of Yoenis Cespedes or Jose Abreu,” said Baseball America of the 26-year-old.
While still less than 18 months old, the sports division has prided itself on being very selective in its signings of elite talent. The signing of Castillo begs the question, ‘what does Jay Z know that the baseball world doesn’t already know about Castillo’?
During his time in Cuba, Castillo played mostly centerfield or right field. In 2012-13, he played for Ciego De Avila where he hit .250/.352/.342 over 43 games. The year prior his numbers were drastically better (332/.395/.545). In 400-plus plate appearances, Castillo hit 16 home runs along with a league best, 28 doubles.